What do we do? Ready-to-deliver cars given for Test Drives!

Floyd de Souza · 23rd December 2005, 10:42

In another thread, I have given my TD impressions on the NHC Vtec. The car which was brought for the TD was a temp. registered car. The odometer(digital) showed 102 km and for the entire duration of the TD(5km), did not change. On questioning the sales person, he said that this was not the official TD vehicle(which had gone elsewhere for a TD) and the odo was disconnected. I have found this quite rampant and my hunch is that these cars get sold to an unsuspecting buyer. I consider this unethical...and more so was disappointed to note that a Honda dealer was resorting to this.

Any views?

goldie_malhotra · 23rd December 2005, 10:54

Thats really bad on the part of the dealer.

It might have been a car scheduled for delivery to someone. And the poor unsuspecting guy will have no idea that his car has already been tested (to the limits) by several others, before he gets the keys.

I had the same experience with an Optra TD. Had asked them to bring over their new Optra Elite version (6.99L), and the car that he brought over was a brand new one with plastic covers and temp UP registration. The odo was disconnected, and when enquired, he said it was "standard GM procedure for all TD cars".

Down with such dealers.

cnu · 23rd December 2005, 11:03

I heard few Maruti dealers doing this but cannot expect this happening from Honda dealers atleast. I strongly feel that this should be reported to HSCIL so that it does not get repeated. It would good if you post a feedback at http://www.hondacarindia.com/contactus/feedback.asp

manu · 23rd December 2005, 11:03

Its not just Honda, I saw this with GM as well. I guess this is pretty rampant among all car dealers (Ford gave me a proper TD Ikon, but I guess it was just chance).

I wanted to test drive an Optra 1.6, and the digital odometer was OFF. I asked why, and all I got was a smug smile in return.

Something surely must be done about this... in the meantime,
one way to check if the car you are getting is new... is to check the tyres. New tyres will have tiny rubber spikes (for lack of a better word, at least in my vocab) all over them... which wear off in a short time.

tsk1979 · 23rd December 2005, 11:09

Hunch? Its the truth. I tested the indica turbo. the odo had been disconnected. Infact the PDI also handn't been done. They disconnect the odo, give test drives and then sell to the unsuspective owner. Very few dealers have specific test drive cars.

jkdas · 23rd December 2005, 11:55

They even drive down 50kms one way with a new car if you ask for test drive! and once I saw teh sales guys relaxing in Sumo after lunch with teh ac on

Maruti does have some TD cars will deco saying so . I guess its the smaller dealers who does this cheap stuffs of disconnecting teh Odo.

Samurai · 23rd December 2005, 12:24

We must refuse test driving a car unless it has big sticker on it saying it is a test drive car. When I test drove the Baleno, it did have the big Test Drive sticker on 3 sides.

Or else there is a good chance that the dealer will sell us previously test driven car.

vandan · 23rd December 2005, 13:14

i test drove the petra,the odo meter had NOT been disconnected,they had removed their diplay vehicle on request since they did not have any Test car!

Steeroid · 23rd December 2005, 13:19

Glad to see that my dealer isnt part of this racket. The Dicor I first test drove is still the test drive vehicle, it has its odo connected and it has also been going around for test drives by the local tv channels....refreshing change from other dealers, I must say. To top it, the Test Car is a top-of-the-line Vx 4X4. The other Tata Motors dealer's silver EX is still doing test drive duty, too.

binz · 23rd December 2005, 13:52

I remember reading about this in Navin's report on the skoda rs.Forget honda,how can skoda do such a thing???

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin

Plonking yourself in the drivers seat and shutting that vault like door shut has a tremendous feel good factor. Height adjustments on the seat alongwith steering rake and reach adjustment get you that perfect driving position. Start the 1.8L turbo and you know its not a regular Octavia. Revv it and you know that its a special car. I headed straight to the worli seaface (empty in the mornings) and hit 6500 rpm on the tacho. Boy, this car is F-A-S-T. And then the inevitable happened - The check engine light came on!!! All kinds of weird thoughts ($$$$$$) shot through my mind (Rush, dont ever take a non-run in engine to the redline) as I pulled over to the left. Got out and popped open the hood. All seemed fine till I saw the smiling sales guy - "Sir, the check engine light is on cos we have disconnected the odometer. We are going to deliver the car this evening to a dude from Juhu you see" So much for dealer ethics.

Is there anyway to check if your "new" car has been previously used as a td vehicle.

binz

scooby05 · 23rd December 2005, 13:56

Moral of the story is---
Go to the godown and check the car personally and note down the chassis no. ask them to show you the proof of the date car is recd by them, by checking the mfrs challan- date and chassis no. so you know that the car has just arrived from the manufacturers depot. then tell them to carry out the PDI etc. and deliver the car.
if the car is standing with them for long then be careful thats it!!

MrBoombastic · 23rd December 2005, 14:18

Everybody is doing it... Sonata Embera = Same story and this evil doing is NOT RIGHT AND AMOUNTS TO CHEATING A TRUSTING CUSTOMER!!

Hyundai, Skoda, Honda and all the rest of the car dealers who use cars meant to be sold to unsuspecting customers as demo cars should stop induging in such shallow deeds and have cars with "DEMO CAR" painted/ marked on them in a very noticable way (eg: covering both the front doors) to use for demos. The question is how do we get them to do so??

Haque · 23rd December 2005, 15:11

I would say, take the test drive, and then report back to the dealership/management that you do not want to strike a deal them as you do not trust them.

But what if it is the similar practice in other dealerships too

.

sbasak · 23rd December 2005, 15:36

This is alarming

Do the manufacturers provide all dealers specific test drive vehicles? Or its the dealer's responsibility to procure a TD vehicle for themselves?

hrag · 23rd December 2005, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Glad to see that my dealer isnt part of this racket.

All of Concorde Motors (dealer for TATA) test vehicles in Chennai have 'DEMO CAR' painted on 3 sides. And yes, their test Safari DICOR is a VX 4x4 as well.

View Poll Results: Have you driven a non Demo vehicle.
Yes, I have and its not my fault and the dealer should take care.	42	27.10%
No, I have not come across such a vehicle	61	39.35%
I have driven but will ensure I dont do it in the future.	28	18.06%
No, I have refused to drive such a vehicle.	24	15.48%
Voters: 155. You may not vote on this poll

23rd December 2005, 10:42	#1
Floyd de Souza BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 321 Thanked: 228 Times	What do we do? Ready-to-deliver cars given for Test Drives! In another thread, I have given my TD impressions on the NHC Vtec. The car which was brought for the TD was a temp. registered car. The odometer(digital) showed 102 km and for the entire duration of the TD(5km), did not change. On questioning the sales person, he said that this was not the official TD vehicle(which had gone elsewhere for a TD) and the odo was disconnected. I have found this quite rampant and my hunch is that these cars get sold to an unsuspecting buyer. I consider this unethical...and more so was disappointed to note that a Honda dealer was resorting to this. Any views?
	(1) Thanks

23rd December 2005, 10:54	#2
goldie_malhotra BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 757 Thanked: 12 Times	Thats really bad on the part of the dealer. It might have been a car scheduled for delivery to someone. And the poor unsuspecting guy will have no idea that his car has already been tested (to the limits) by several others, before he gets the keys. I had the same experience with an Optra TD. Had asked them to bring over their new Optra Elite version (6.99L), and the car that he brought over was a brand new one with plastic covers and temp UP registration. The odo was disconnected, and when enquired, he said it was "standard GM procedure for all TD cars". Down with such dealers.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 11:03	#3
cnu BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 301 Thanked: 121 Times	I heard few Maruti dealers doing this but cannot expect this happening from Honda dealers atleast. I strongly feel that this should be reported to HSCIL so that it does not get repeated. It would good if you post a feedback at http://www.hondacarindia.com/contactus/feedback.asp
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 11:03	#4
manu BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 67 Thanked: 25 Times	Its not just Honda, I saw this with GM as well. I guess this is pretty rampant among all car dealers (Ford gave me a proper TD Ikon, but I guess it was just chance). I wanted to test drive an Optra 1.6, and the digital odometer was OFF. I asked why, and all I got was a smug smile in return. Something surely must be done about this... in the meantime, one way to check if the car you are getting is new... is to check the tyres. New tyres will have tiny rubber spikes (for lack of a better word, at least in my vocab) all over them... which wear off in a short time.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 11:09	#5
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,494 Times View My Garage	Hunch? Its the truth. I tested the indica turbo. the odo had been disconnected. Infact the PDI also handn't been done. They disconnect the odo, give test drives and then sell to the unsuspective owner. Very few dealers have specific test drive cars.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 11:55	#6
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,685 Thanked: 1,497 Times View My Garage	They even drive down 50kms one way with a new car if you ask for test drive! and once I saw teh sales guys relaxing in Sumo after lunch with teh ac on Maruti does have some TD cars will deco saying so . I guess its the smaller dealers who does this cheap stuffs of disconnecting teh Odo.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 12:24	#7
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 26,009 Thanked: 50,082 Times View My Garage	We must refuse test driving a car unless it has big sticker on it saying it is a test drive car. When I test drove the Baleno, it did have the big Test Drive sticker on 3 sides. Or else there is a good chance that the dealer will sell us previously test driven car.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 13:14	#8
vandan BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 179 Thanked: Once	i test drove the petra,the odo meter had NOT been disconnected,they had removed their diplay vehicle on request since they did not have any Test car!
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 13:19	#9
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,025 Thanked: 2,757 Times	Glad to see that my dealer isnt part of this racket. The Dicor I first test drove is still the test drive vehicle, it has its odo connected and it has also been going around for test drives by the local tv channels....refreshing change from other dealers, I must say. To top it, the Test Car is a top-of-the-line Vx 4X4. The other Tata Motors dealer's silver EX is still doing test drive duty, too.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 13:56	#11
scooby05 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,146 Thanked: 194 Times	Moral of the story is--- Go to the godown and check the car personally and note down the chassis no. ask them to show you the proof of the date car is recd by them, by checking the mfrs challan- date and chassis no. so you know that the car has just arrived from the manufacturers depot. then tell them to carry out the PDI etc. and deliver the car. if the car is standing with them for long then be careful thats it!! Last edited by scooby05 : 23rd December 2005 at 14:00.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 14:18	#12
MrBoombastic BANNED Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 253 Thanked: 6 Times	Everybody is doing it... Sonata Embera = Same story and this evil doing is NOT RIGHT AND AMOUNTS TO CHEATING A TRUSTING CUSTOMER!! Hyundai, Skoda, Honda and all the rest of the car dealers who use cars meant to be sold to unsuspecting customers as demo cars should stop induging in such shallow deeds and have cars with "DEMO CAR" painted/ marked on them in a very noticable way (eg: covering both the front doors) to use for demos. The question is how do we get them to do so?? Last edited by MrBoombastic : 23rd December 2005 at 14:19.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 15:11	#13
Haque BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 119 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	I would say, take the test drive, and then report back to the dealership/management that you do not want to strike a deal them as you do not trust them. But what if it is the similar practice in other dealerships too .
	() Thanks

23rd December 2005, 15:36	#14
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 607 Thanked: 16 Times	This is alarming Do the manufacturers provide all dealers specific test drive vehicles? Or its the dealer's responsibility to procure a TD vehicle for themselves?
	() Thanks